Istanbul: Biomaterial company Gozen has launched a 40,000 square foot production facility, aiming to innovate the textile sector with its sustainable Lunaform material. The firm plans to enhance its capacity and has exciting partnerships on the horizon, heralding a new era in luxury fashion materials.
Biomaterial company Gozen has announced the opening of its new expansive production facility in Istanbul, Turkey, which spans 40,000 square feet. The facility aims to revolutionise the textile industry with its innovative Lunaform material, widely recognised for its collaboration with luxury fashion brand Balenciaga on the successful Lunaform Maxi Bathrobe Coat launched for Spring 2024. As part of its growth strategy, Gozen is poised to unveil a new partnership with another luxury brand in March, although details of this collaboration remain undisclosed.
The Istanbul facility is situated within the city’s textile and leather district, strategically positioned to cater to European brands. Initially, the facility plans to produce 150,000 square feet of the grown-cellulose material, with aspirations to amplify its capacity to 1 million square feet by 2026. Once fully operational, this output could translate into approximately 40,000 garments annually.
Ece Gozen, the founder and chief executive officer of Gozen, articulated the company’s vision, stating, “We are not mimicking leather. This is stand-alone material. From one single source, we can create infinite possibilities.” The unique properties of Lunaform differentiate it from traditional alternatives; it is produced from micronutrients within a week and does not require third-party tanning, making it a more sustainable option for fashion brands.
At the recent Première Vision event, Gozen showcased three new versions of Lunaform: Origins, which features a fibrous pattern reminiscent of animal leather grain; Transparent, which is the first see-through nanocellulose available in vibrant colours; and Indigo, which incorporates natural indigo dye for a denim-like appearance. The Indigo line offers versatility, allowing it to be applied in place of conventional denim, with each piece possessing its unique wash.
Gozen highlighted the facility’s geographic advantage, noting that the accessibility of Istanbul helps expedite the supply chain for collaborating brands. She emphasised the importance of price points in expanding the material’s market reach by stating, “Even if they like the material, price will be always a red flag [for brands]. So we developed with that strategy in mind.”
The materials produced at Gozen are designed with a focus on usability and aesthetics, providing brands the flexibility to customise texture and thickness to align with their specific creative visions. Gozen’s approach melds scientific innovation with design, stating, “We do not want to create only the material, but to create a real solution for the brands to work with.”
Happiness Capital, a Hong Kong-based investment firm, is assisting Gozen in entering the Asian market, particularly through connections in Japan. The company successfully secured $3.3 million in seed funding earlier this year, with contributions from Accelr8, Astor Management, and climate tech-focused fund SOSV. This funding is aimed at supporting the establishment of the new facility and further developing the Lunaform material.
Looking ahead, Gozen is set to attend Lineapelle in Milan from February 25 to 27, where Lunaform will be featured alongside other innovative materials in the leather section, continuing the quest to redefine modern textiles.
Source: Noah Wire Services
